The Steamwheedle Cartel is one of the largest and most successful of the Goblin Cartels in Undermine. It is a neutralorganization that controls several cities and towns around the world, and has allied themselves with a number of other groups such as the Blackwater Raiders in Booty Bay. The Steamwheedle Cartel has made a great deal of profit from maintaining neutrality in the conflict between the Horde and the Alliance. Their services are always available to the highest bidder, employing anyone regardless of their affiliation if they can produce results.

Cataclysm

Despite the Bilgewater Cartel - the new playable Goblin race in Cataclysm - joining the Horde, the Steamwheedle Cartel maintained its neutrality.[1]

According to a quick line in the Bilgewater Cartel reputation bar, the Bilgewater cartel now has the title of most powerful cartel on Kezan (though its not known how exactly literally this should be taken).

Playable Goblin Death Knights appear to originally be part of the Steamwheedle Cartel, as evidenced by Gally Lumpstain in A Special Surprise, although they later join the Bilgewater Cartel. They may have just helped Gally join the Steamwheedles, and stayed as Bilgewaters themselves.

Warlords of Draenor

Ever looking for new ways to make profit, the Steamwheedle Cartel have traveled back to the alternate Draenor thirty-five years in the past. They make their base at the Ring of Trials and surrounding parts of Nagrand, with their main problems being the local saberon.

A new group within the Cartel known as the Steamwheedle Preservation Society focuses on archaeology and wishes to bring valuable artifacts and antiquities back from Draenor to Azeroth to sell to the highest bidder. One member of the Society, Bing Zapcrackle, can be found at Warspear on the island of Ashran, where he is arguing with members of the Reliquary over the price of artifacts the Horde wishes to purchase.

Arenas

In the RPG

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG and is considered non-canon.

During the Second War, a Horde ambassador met with a single trade prince and convinced him and his subordinates to join the Horde (while the rest of the goblin race stayed neutral).[4] This may have been Trade Prince Steamwheedle. Some Horde members have tried to improve relations with the Steamwheedle Cartel. Perhaps with enough persuasion, the goblins could be convinced to rejoin the Horde for the first time since the Second War.[5] This is unlikely to happen however, as the trade prince realized his mistake and left the Horde, and the goblin race remembers the mistake and remains neutral to this day.[6]

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

Relationship with the Venture Company

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG and is considered non-canon.

The Steamwheedle Cartel runs Ratchet. The Venture Company has also been said to run Ratchet.[7][8][9] The Venture Trading Company may be the cartel's parent company. If so, some fans speculate that the Steemwheedle Cartel has some members with internal conflicts of interest. Members of the Cartel sometimes give quests that go against some Venture Company's operations, and also are not as hostile as their parent company. However in the RPG the Venture Co. is not as hostile as it is portrayed in the game, and is an independent group that has its hands in almost everything including a sizeable ownership of Ratchet, and Undermine. However, even in the RPG, it also has branches in various locations that are hostile to other groups (or rather other groups are hostile to it), usually in Horde lands. It is also quite possible that the Venture Company's ownership was a note from an early draft of WoW.

Naming

Neutrality

It is interesting that both Trade Baron Silversnap and Marin Noggenfogger, rulers of Bogpaddle and Gadgetzan respectively, make a point to address the neutrality of the Steamwheedle Cartel. It is possible that this reinsurance of their neutrality could be due to the Bilgewater Cartel joining the Horde and that members of the Steamwheddle could be worried that their customers may incorrectly believe that all Goblins work on the same side.

Go and kill the Southsea Swashbucklers, Southsea Pirates and other related mobs in Tanaris around Lost Rigger Cove (the area to the east of the Caverns of Time). Each mob gives 5.5 rep with Gadgetzan plus 2.5 rep with each of Booty Bay Everlook and Ratchet. (NB: estimated from, sometimes 5 or 6, sometimes 2 or 3, and with the guild perk Mr. Popularity for +10%).

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